For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then he asked, “Did you do anything to threaten anybody?”
“No.”
“Were you trying to follow the crew's instructions?”
“I was asking why they were moving me from a confirmed seat. I didn't refuse any safety instruction.”
Dad was quiet again.
Then he said something I hadn't expected.
“I'm proud of you.”
My eyes filled.
“Dad, I didn't do anything.”
“Yes, you did.”
I wiped my face.
He continued.
“You kept your dignity when somebody wanted to take it from you.”
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then he added.
“But Adrian, don't let the money become the lesson.”
I looked toward the window.
“What do you mean?”
He took a breath.
“If they treated you differently only after learning you controlled that financing, then they haven't understood what was wrong.”
I closed my eyes.
He continued.
“You deserved respect before you made that phone call.”
I whispered, “I know.”
“And so does the next person who doesn't have seven hundred million dollars behind him.”
For a moment, I couldn't answer.
Then I nodded slowly.
Even though he couldn't see me.
“Yeah.”
Dad paused.
Then his voice softened.
“Come home when you can.”
“I will.”
“And get something to eat.”
I laughed weakly.
“Dad.”
“I'm serious.”
For the first time since leaving the aircraft, I smiled.
“Okay.”
When the call ended, I stood beside the conference room door for several minutes.
Then I returned to the meeting.
Eleanor looked up.
“You all right?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
She studied my face.
Then asked whether I wanted to postpone.
“No.”
I sat.
“Let's do this properly.”
Northstar's chief financial officer, Catherine Shaw, joined the call from the airline's headquarters.
She was fifty-two, with short dark hair and an expression so serious it seemed impossible to imagine her laughing.
I'd met her several times during the financing negotiations.
She was intelligent, technically capable, and usually direct.
That afternoon, she looked deeply shaken.
“Adrian, before we discuss the agreement, I want to say that what happened aboard Flight 408 was unacceptable.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
She continued.
“The company is initiating an independent review.”
“Good.”
Then she hesitated.
“I understand why the financing notice has been issued.”
I studied her.
“Catherine, I want to be clear about something.”